Last year, the district administration had turned down the request of Sri Rama Sene, Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishath, to keep the Datta's silver sandals atop the hill on Datta Jayanti. However, this year the government intervened and instructed the deputy commissioner to keep the padukas atop the hill.
More than 15,000 devotees thronged the hill to participate in the Datta Jayanti programme. The devotees relinquished their malas and offered Irumudi (rice, jaggery, oil and coconut) in the ritual place.
